Well done to Ringwood School students as they collect their GCSE results today. There have been lots of smiles and tears of joy from both parents and students as Year 11 opened their envelopes this morning in what looks like a year to break all school records. For the students, their hard work and determination has delivered celebration today and now allows them to put their Post-16 plans into action.

The Class of 2025 did not sit Year 6 SATs exams, as these were scheduled for May 2020, when the country was in lockdown due to the Covid pandemic. The SATs results are necessary to provide a progress measure at the end of Year 11 (comparing the progress made over the secondary school years from the end of Year 6 to the end of Year 11), therefore this year, without SATs results, an analysis of results relies on attainment alone (the actual grades achieved).

Attainment 8- the total score across the best 8 GCSEs- is 55.7 this year (up from 53 last year) and is the strongest the school has ever seen. Performance at the top is excellent with 32.5% of all Ringwood GCSEs awarded at grade 7 -9 (old A-A** and up 4.5% from last year).

One key measurement for schools is the ‘Basics’ measure. This measure shows how many students get a 5+ or a grade 4+ in both English and maths. Last year we reported the highest ‘Basics’ results since this accountability measure began, with 58% of our students achieving a 5 or above in both English and maths. This year 67.6% of student achieved 5 + in English and maths (9.6% higher than last year) and 84% achieved grade 4 and above in both key subjects (1.3% higher than last year’s best ever performance).

Many of our subject areas have seen particular success this year. In drama and French, at least 90% of the cohort got grades between 9-5. As ever, performance in science is exceptionally strong with a third of all students receiving a grade 7 or above. In the separate science GCSEs (Biology, Chemistry and Physics) well over half of the cohort secured grades 7-9. Maths is again celebrating a similarly strong performance to science. This year English joins them, celebrating 34% of students attaining grades 7-9 (a 5.5% improvement on last year’s strong results).

We are proud to offer a very broad curriculum at Key Stage 4 and performance in our vocational subjects has also been strong for example 53.7% of students have attained a Distinction or Distinction* (equivalent to GCSE grades 7-9) in CNAT Sports Studies.

It has been delightful to share in this success with students today, who were excited to get their results and thank their teachers for all of the help and support in preparing them for their GCSEs and vocational qualifications. We are pleased for all of our students and proud of them for how they have managed both their secondary school years and their formal examinations.

We look forward to welcoming many of our Year 11 students back into Year 12 at the beginning of September and wish good luck to every single member of the Class of 2025.